Chili Palmer is a Miami mobster who gets sent to L.A. to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm, a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror films. When Chili meets Harry's leading lady, the romantic sparks fly. After pitching his own life story as a movie idea, Chili learns that being a mobster and being a Hollywood producer really aren't all that different.
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
based on novel or book
miami, florida
gambling
gangster
money
murder
travel
mobster
mafia
business
debt
hollywood
drugs
producer
con
Rank
#65 in 1995·#3511 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
John Travolta
Chili Palmer
Gene Hackman
Harry Zimm
Rene Russo
Karen Flores
Danny DeVito
Martin Weir
Dennis Farina
Ray 'Bones' Barboni
Delroy Lindo
Bo Catlett
James Gandolfini
Bear
Jon Gries
Ronnie Wingate
Renee Props
Nicki
David Paymer
Leo Devoe
Martin Ferrero
Tommy Carlo
Miguel Sandoval
Mr. Escobar
Crew
Barry Sonnenfeld
Director
Scott Frank
Screenplay
John Lurie
Original Music Composer
Donald Peterman
Director of Photography
Danny DeVito
Producer
Michael Shamberg
Producer
Stacey Sher
Producer
Barry Sonnenfeld
Executive Producer
Elmore Leonard
Novel
Dane Farwell
Stunts
Debra Zane
Casting
Skip Lievsay
Supervising Sound Editor
Popular Reviews
288 reviews
Moose
4.0★ · 06/23/26
Always wondered why I never bothered to watch this one. I remember it was like the next big Travolta vehicle after his Pulp Fiction comeback. Seemed it would be up my alley. Perhaps I instinctively knew that it was a uninteresting mess?
Always wondered why I never bothered to watch this one. I remember it was like the next big Travolta vehicle after his Pulp Fiction comeback. Seemed it would be up my alley. Perhaps I instinctively knew that it was a uninteresting mess?
Straight Teeth
6.0★ · 06/12/26
Pre-vocal fry Danny DeVito is so peak. This was a wildly hilarious comedy with great action scenes and character development, the humor still holds up very well.
Pre-vocal fry Danny DeVito is so peak. This was a wildly hilarious comedy with great action scenes and character development, the humor still holds up very well.
sia
9.0★ · 06/09/26
watched it randomly while studying and damn, this picture made laugh in random ass scenes
watched it randomly while studying and damn, this picture made laugh in random ass scenes
ash
6.0★ · 06/02/26
extremely mediocre but there is delroy lindo in a beautiful suit so i can’t really complain
extremely mediocre but there is delroy lindo in a beautiful suit so i can’t really complain
Ronald Rodriguez
6.0★ · 04/11/26
This is one of those films in which you known its gonna be a solid 3 stars right from the beginning. Not a bad thing but this is one of those films meant to entertain rather than challenge you. I can see this being one of my comfort films to watch and the main character being a cinephile himself is one way to get the hard-core movie fans to like him. Also Danny DeVito is in this movie so that is a huge plus. Nice to see the legendary James Gandolfini in a role besides Tony Soprano.
This is one of those films in which you known its gonna be a solid 3 stars right from the beginning. Not a bad thing but this is one of those films meant to entertain rather than challenge you. I can see this being one of my comfort films to watch and the main character being a cinephile himself is one way to get the hard-core movie fans to like him. Also Danny DeVito is in this movie so that is a huge plus. Nice to see the legendary James Gandolfini in a role besides Tony Soprano.
